


Darkness and Hope

by L_Moonshade



Series: Altered Realities [24]
Category: Highlander: The Series, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-30
Updated: 2019-01-30
Packaged: 2019-10-19 12:09:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 686
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17601104
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/L_Moonshade/pseuds/L_Moonshade
Summary: Methos and Phil need to have a serious--and uncomfortable--talk.





	Darkness and Hope

**Author's Note:**

> Takes place shortly after Love is Stronger than Blood.

Methos was a patient man, but even he had his limits, and he was starting to reach them. Phil had agreed to the time off, but it wasn't going so well. Methos had wanted to go away just the two of them, having already noticed Phil trying to distance himself. But, instead of coming closer again, Phil was only drifting farther and farther away. He was angry, sullen, arguing for no real reason Methos could see and, while it didn't surprise him, this was beyond what he'd expected. He was normally good at reading people and situations, but he was still in some pain himself, and being too close to things kept him from being truly able to understand what was going on in Phil's head.

At the moment, Methos was trying to convince Phil that the younger man wasn't ready to go back to work. Phil, on the other hand, was insisting that he not only was ready, but had to. Methos had been continuing to argue, only partly in an attempt to make Phil say something in anger that would give him something to go on. The truth was, he was in pain and angry, himself.

"You're obviously not ready," Methos yelled. "Why are you so insistent that you have to go?"

"I need to leave before you do!" Phil all but shouted.

Finally, Methos thought, forcing himself to a calm he didn't exactly feel. "Why do you think I'm going anywhere?"

Methos' calm helped Phil quiet, as well. "Because when you look at me, you'll see him."

"Phil." Methos sat on the porch swing, urged Phil to take the seat next to him. "When I look at you, I only see the man I love, the man I want to spend a long, long time with. Do you remember how we found out you had a twin?"

"How could I forget? It was how I learned Pierce was beyond hope."

"I didn't know about him, but even so I knew before he opened his mouth that he wasn't you. I have never seen him when I look at you, or you when I looked at him, for that matter. That hasn't changed, and there is nothing he could have done that would have changed it." Methos huffed. "Hell, you two could've switched bodies and I'd still recognize you."

Phil let out something that was half laugh, half sob. "You think so?"

Methos gave a gentle smile. "You don't? You know me, I notice the details everyone seems to miss, even when I'm not paying attention. And I pay very close attention to the people I love."

Phil took a deep breath, let it out, paused to consider what Methos had said. It might take time to believe it, but knowing was a good start. "Okay."

Methos let out the breath he'd been holding. "You're staying, then?"

Phil was shocked to hear uncertainty in Methos' voice. "You've been that worried?"

"All I knew was that you were angry, it seemed like you were angry at me, and I wasn't having any luck reaching you. Yeah, I was that worried."

"I'm sorry."

Methos nodded. "It's understandable. What you went through was every bit as traumatic as what I went through, in its own way." Maybe more so; torture was certainly nothing new to him. He didn't think it would comfort Phil to hear that, though, so he didn't say anything. "Why don't we go to bed? In the morning, I'll get our leave extended, so we have the time to start working this out. We can have Kate join us in a while; I think once you and I are in a better place, we'll need some time the three of us."

Phil nodded. "That sounds good." He leaned in and gave Methos a long, gentle kiss. "I love you, Methos. I'm sorry."

Methos' eyes were teary, but he gave a warm smile. "I love you, too. Come to bed."

It took a few weeks, but by the time they had Kate join them, they had talked things out, and repaired and strengthened their relationship.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm not entirely happy with this one, but the conversation had to happen before I could move on.
> 
> And thanks to Raynbowz.


End file.
